Dog Days
by IncredibleMeatza420
Summary: Written with MatureFetus. They originally had the story uploaded on their account but due to some circumstances, I will be writing it for the moment. This is a story about Charon before the war. It will get dark, I'm warning you now. In order to save people the confusion, I must also included that Charon's name before the war was Nick.
1. Chopping Block

**Chapter 1: The Chopping Block**

* * *

><p><em>July 13, 2072<em>

**_Charon_**

The sun was beating down like a blanket of heat, reminding me of my predicament. Reminding me that I was a slave. An "employee" as they liked to call it. I was standing in line with other kids of my age. They were just teenagers. Kids. How had they ended up in this situation? How could people own another person? The line started at a raised platform where they would be auctioned off.

The first person up was a lanky blonde girl, who was currently being eyed like a piece of meat by the sleazy men in the crowd. It was disgusting, but it happened to all the girls in this business. I wouldn't be able to do anything. All I could do was wait for my turn to be put on a pedestal as people guessed how much my mind, body, and soul was worth. I was third in line. It was only a matter of time.

"Sold, for $400 to the gentleman in the back", the auctioneer bellowed. The girl was trying so desperately not to show how much she was dying on the inside. It was heart-wrenching. She was always nice to me. I didn't even know her name. She didn't deserve this.

She locked her grass-green eyes with me and for the first time in a long time, I felt someone else's pain. It was an unusual pain. One that was cold and dull, not the hot, sharp pain you feel when you get a burn. Almost like when you wake up and find out you've been hit by a truck. Trust me, it doesn't feel great. My whole body was numb for the two seconds we held eye contact and I couldn't handle it anymore. I looked away and it felt like it would've hurt less had I slapped her.

The next kid on the platform was short, dark-haired, and dark-skinned but looked like he could handle his own weight. He didn't deserve this either but at least he might stand a chance. Not like the girl. I think I remember his name. Noah, if I remember correctly. He held a straight face and held his head high. I didn't know much about this kid, but I remember his pride getting in the way of following orders. He was a rebel and as much as I longed to be like him, I wouldn't be able stand the beatings like Noah had. While lost in my own thoughts, the boy was sold for $350.

The boys were usually cheaper because they were put to work. The girls, unfortunately, were almost always sold at a higher price for much more sinister reasons. Typically, they were mistresses or wives. I've heard horror stories about their time in their "employment". Most girls didn't last more than 3 months before they were pregnant and some were even chained in basements and only saw light when the cellar door opened. The light only led to more pain and suffering and the cold feeling of emptiness. If they were lucky, they died within several months of malnutrition. These girls were utterly doomed.

"Next! Didn't you fucking hear me?" was all I heard before I felt a sharp pain at the back of my head as I was struck. I slowly trudged up the steps to the platform and stood. What could I do? I felt so awkward as men and women alike measured me up and down. In that moment, I wondered how my mother would feel if she could see me from here. A hopeless, pathetic, disgrace of a human being. Had she known this would happen? Had she given me up willingly? Was she someone I already knew from the camp but I hadn't had the privilege of knowing she made me? I'll never know who she is.

"Name, kid?" asked the auctioneer.

I looked at him sidelong and sighed heavily. "Nick McKinnley" I replied with reluctance.

"Height, weight, and age." He said. It wasn't a question. This time was easier to talk.

"6 feet and 2 inches. 206 pounds. 16." Never had I realized how big I was for my age until now. I was always working with the other boys and at some point, I wasn't soft anymore. Years of military level training at a young age can do that to a person. I was trained to be a soldier and a weapon. It barely registered when I heard "$450 to the man up front." There was my fate. The number that sealed the deal.

I looked up in time to see a man in a nice suit staring at me with a crooked grin. His hair was a mess of black curls and he didn't have any visible scars or remarkable facial features besides a strong jaw and nose. I couldn't tell what color his eyes were from this distance but from here, he looked like he was sizing me up. I was pointed to the opposite side of the stage where the kids that had been sold stood until the reaping of young lives was over.

The girl from earlier was holding her arms across her chest and making a point of staring at the ground. I desperately wanted to say something or do anything that would make her feel better. Anything besides "Sorry you're probably going to be shackled and raped for months." All I could muster was something that sounded inadequate even in my own ears. "Don't let him break you." I didn't expect her to be able to hear anything in her state of mind and I definitely didn't expect her to look me in the face and whisper "he already has." I'll never forget those three words. So much hatred and damnation that would make even God flinch.

The boy on the other hand wasn't letting the situation get to him. He bit his lip and offered his condolences to the girl. Noah will always be remembered in my mind as the boy who had nothing and still managed to give everything he had.

The group of kids around me grew as more were sold like toys at the store. They were mostly silent. Girls were holding back tears and boys were trying to keep their composure as to not let any sign of weakness slip. "The second you are perceived as weak, you already are" rang a bell. As if just thinking about the word "bell" could materialize into reality, the bell rang signaling the end of the auction of human beings. The people who spent money on a life walked up to receive their big bundles of joy.

The man from the crowd waltzed up with my contract in hand and shook mine with the other hand. "Hello there, Nick, nice to meet you. My name is David Ripley, your new employer, but please call me Mr. Ripley. I got that other boy over there, too. Would you kindly tell me what his name is, I didn't quite catch it before."

I looked over in the direction Mr. Ripley pointed to and felt like I had been hit in the gut. My mouth was dry as I tried to speak. I hadn't even known he was in line. "That would be... Joel, sir. He's my little brother." Mr. Ripley gave a look of mocking astonishment. That bastard fucking knew. We look just alike. "We don't share a last name, sir." Mr. Ripley looked bored as he slowly drew out the second contract.

"I know you don't," he said through a loose grin. "Get him over here and meet me at that car over there with the bumper sticker of an alien in fifteen minutes. Say your goodbyes and pack your shit." He turned and sauntered over to the girl who was first to the platform and gave her a sick smile. I looked at the direction he pointed to and sure enough, there was a red car with a sticker of an alien's head, green with big, black eyes. I was fuming but I had to tell Joel to get his things and tell his friends goodbye for the last time.

"Hey, you got a minute?" I asked him.

Joel looked up from the ground and asked "You too, huh?"

"Yeah... We have fifteen minutes to get our things and say bye." Joel looked at me like I was joking.

"Fifteen minutes for goodbyes and packing? I already had my stuff packed this morning, but I can't even say enough farewells in fifteen minutes."

"You need to cut the act. Tough shit. You have to learn to take orders and keep your fucking mouth shut. You got it?"

He looked at me through squinted eyes. Whether it was from the sunlight or from anger, I didn't care. Joel had a problem with authority but he had to get used to it. "Fine," he muttered through clenched teeth.

"Alright, meet me at that car with the alien sticker on the back in fifteen minutes."

He looked in the direction I was pointing to and scoffed. "You got to be fucking kidding me, an alien sticker?"

"Watch your damn mouth, you're 13." I scolded as he turned.

He stopped and looked over his shoulder. "I can say whatever the fuck I want, it's my mouth."

I grabbed his arm and he tried to shake it off but gave up. "Stop that right now. You need to understand the severity of this situation. We don't know who this asshole is or what he wants but that hole in your face you call a mouth is no longer yours. It's his. He bought us. Think about that for a second. We were bought and now he owns us and there's nothing we can do about it now. I'm telling you to stop because I don't want you to find out firsthand what happens when you mouth off to a man who owns you. I only ask one thing, Joel. Please follow orders and do what your contract tells you."

He looked at me and I could see him slowly understanding the whole of the situation. It was scary seeing it through your own eyes, but it's worse seeing it through the eyes of someone you care about and you know you can't do a damn thing to help it. "Okay" was all he said.

"Now go say bye and get your stuff. We have twelve minutes now. Don't do anything stupid." He nodded and turned around again and walked off.

I headed to my bunk and grabbed my things. I made sure to hide the "adult magazine" I had "found" at the bottom of my bag under what little clothing I owned. I got my worn deck of cards from under my pillow, tossed them in my bag, and zipped it up.

Without looking back, I headed out the door. I didn't have many people to say goodbye to. I mostly kept to myself. I said goodbye to the woman who fed us and the few kids I talked to during training and the ones I played cards with from time to time.

I reached the car in time to see Joel heading towards me with his bag half zipped and his head hanging down. This was hard for him, I could tell. He reached the car and touched the alien sticker. "Asshole" he said, barely a whisper. Mr. Ripley was walking quickly towards the driver's side door. I had never been in a car before. They had always kind of scared me.

"Ready to go boys? I sure am." It was a rhetorical question.

Joel and I exchanged glances and said "Yes, sir," almost mechanically.

"Get in, boys. We're going home."

I opened the door and sat in the passenger's seat. Joel sat in the back.

Mr. Ripley started the car and my freckled face became pale. He pulled out onto the road and I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. Mr. Ripley looked at me and laughed. "Never been in a car before, boys?"

I swallowed before speaking "No, sir."

His mouth grew into a wicked smile. "Well buckle up, boy. What will you do if we get into an accident?" That bastard knew what he was doing.

The images blurring by in the window made me sick to my stomach. Mr. Ripley kept looking back in the mirror to look at Joel.

It was a long drive before we pulled up into the driveway of a big house. It was white, two stories, and had columns in the front with a large garden in the courtyard. It was strange to see a courtyard in the front. They were usually in the back. Joel and I stared in awe in the glory of such a nice house.

"Well, boys, if you like the outside, wait 'til you see the inside. Oh, and by the way," he said without any real motivation, "welcome home."


	2. Take a Look

Author's note: If anyone reading is from Louisiana like MatureFetus and I, you'll get a little laugh at Charon trying to pronounce our food.

_July 14, 2072_

Chapter 2: Take a Look

The room I woke up in was quiet. Where were the kids fighting and playing? A moment later, I remembered Joel and I were bought. At least he kept us together. Most kids aren't that lucky, they usually get separated and never see each other again. I wonder why he bought both of us?

I heard a loud crash come from downstairs. I jumped out of bed and ran down the hall. I tripped halfway down the stairs and hit the floor.

My head was pounding. My back hurt and a woman was touching my arm, trying to help me maybe. I looked up at her. She looked Hispanic. She was pulling me off the floor. I sat up and shook her arm off. She said something in another language.

"Ay, get off the floor, doncha got any manners?" She had a thick Boston accent.

She reached out to me and I took her hand. I stood up and let her hand go before it got awkward.

"My name's Rosalyn. I'm the maid. If you came down 'cause of the crash, I just dropped some of Ripley's metal bowls. Those things are heavy as shit."

"Hey, I'm Nick. I'm the new whatever. I don't really know what he wants with me. Or my brother."

"He probably wants you as a delivery boy, ya know. Back in my hometown, they had a delivery boy for just about anything, but mostly pizza. I heard a lot of marriages were ruined 'cause of delivery boys." She looked at me, expecting a response.

"Well, I don't plan on being a homewrecker any time soon, although, I'm flattered you would think that highly of me." I grinned at her.

"You're pretty funny, ya know. I wish Mr. Ripley was more like you." She seemed to drop down a peg at the thought of the man.

"Were you from one of the camps, too?" Sympathy wasn't usually my thing.

She looked down for a moment. "Yeah, somethin' like that."

There was more to it, but I wasn't about to pressure her into talking about things the doesn't want to."

"I have to go, I need to clean up the mess in the kitchen before Ripley sees. I'll see ya later, Nick."

Rosalyn. Rosalyn. _Rosalyn. _I repeated her name in my head. It was a nice name.

I walked around the house to get a feel for the place. It was pretty big. And it screamed "rich". There was a ball room on the left side of the house. The foyer led to the office, the ball room and the kitchen on the other side of the house. A small bathroom sat in the corner of the kitchen. The upstairs was mainly just a hallway that led to everyone's rooms.

I walked outside into the courtyard. A large fountain was clearly the centerpiece, the driveway wrapped around it. A small round table with two chairs was placed off to the side near the house. The inside of the wrought-iron gate was lined with spiral bushes and statues. Flower gardens stretched around the outside of the gates.

After several minutes of walking around and taking in the sights, I realized why the courtyard was in the front. He just wanted everyone to see his shit. He wanted all the neighbors to know his luxuries.

I almost tripped on a raw hide bone. I didn't know he had a dog. At least I hope that's for a dog. I opened the front door and walked around until I found another door in the ballroom.

I opened it and stepped out onto a porch with a small table under an awning. The view was amazing. I could see a large pond surrounded by woods. I could barely make out ripples in the water from fish. A wooden dock led to a small boat. It was beautiful. Serene.

_**BARK BARK**_

I turned around in time to get a flash of a large St. Bernard before getting pinned to the ground. It was barking and drooling all over my face. This was such a lovely day.

"Hey, I see you've met the family pet. Aslan, heel!"

Mr. Ripley stood in a suit, smug as usual. The dog which I can assume is Aslan jumped off with a bark. I stood up and he bumped my leg with his nose.

"What is he doing?" I've never met a dog that wasn't a police dog before. This was completely new.

"He's sniffing you. Trying to see if I was right to call him off. He won't hurt you again."

I tried to clear my swimming head to get a clear thought out. "What do you need me and Joel for?"

"Well, I needed a new delivery boy since the old one quit. I needed one that _couldn't _quit. That's where you come in. I still don't know what I'll do with Joel. I think he'll just do the basic things Rosalyn doesn't have time for."

"Where is he?" I didn't think about it until know. I haven't seen him since we got here.

"He's actually helping Rosalyn at the moment. They're working on lunch."

I can't even imagine what kind of food we get to eat here. We always had stew for lunch and dinner at the camps. Every once in awhile, they would get someone from Louisiana who cooked something called jumble liar or gundo. They had really weird names for really good food. Sometimes we had fried chicken. But that was only very rare occasions and it was a "first come, first serve" thing.

"What's for lunch?" I didn't realize how hungry I was until now. Also part of my training.

I think we're having something Rosalyn ate when she was younger. She just makes what she feels like with what we have. It's usually things from her heritage. It's pretty good."

"Where's she from anyway? I would've asked but it seemed inappropriate."

"Her dad sold her to me. I really don't think she should be in that house anyway. I mean, who the hell sells their own child?"

I was shocked. Really, who would? Then I realized that that also means he bought her, and me, and Joel.

"Well, who would buy a person?" That seemed to strike a nerve.

"Watch your mouth, kid. Do you forget who you're talking to?"

Glaring at him, I spit out "no."

"Get the fuck inside." Yeah, he was pretty pissed.

Inside smelled like spices and fresh vegetables. It smelled like what I assume where Rosalyn grew up.

I could hear Joel in the kitchen. I followed their laughing. He was standing with two tomatoes up to his chest like breasts.

"Happy birthday, Mr. President, happy birthday to you." Joel was singing in a breathy voice.

"Holy shit, stop. I need those." Rosalyn had a very irritating laugh. One that was half snort, half groaning. It hurt my ears. But I wouldn't mind hearing more of it.

Joel started rubbing them and making kissing noises. I coughed and the noises faded.

"I was just helping her cook lunch." His face was as bright as the fruit.

"Alright, Tomato Tits, finish what your doing. I'm hungry."

He gingerly put them down.

"Do you have any fun?" Rosalyn snickered.

"I'm dick loads of fun."

"Bull shit" Joel whispered.

Lunch was ready in a matter of minutes and the rest of the afternoon was spent cleaning.

That night I walked into the office.

"Hey, I have..."

Mr. Ripley was touching Joel's arm. I really don't like seeing this. Something seemed very wrong about it. The lights were dim and they were alone. Joel looked very nervous.

"the mail." I finished.

Ripley turned, his hand withdrawing from Joel.

"Thank you, Nick." Ripley also looked like he was guilty.

This really doesn't sit right with me.

_I don't know who the fuck you are, But I sure as will find out._


	3. To Conceal or Not to Conceal

Hey, just a word in from IncredibleMeatza420. I just want to say hi. I also want to apologize for the late chapter so here's two chapters as an apology.

Edit: Hey, I had to fix it because I didn't realize that Doc Manager fucked the formatting up hella bad.

_July 15, 2072_

Chapter 3: To Conceal or Not to Conceal

I tried to shield my eyes from the ray of light slipping through the curtain. It seemed to just flow through my fingers like liquid sunshine. I needed to get up. I wasn't trained to lie in bed all day.

Suddenly, everything from the previous day struck me like that truck. I shot up in a sitting position.

"That sick fuck. I'm going to kill him."

"That's not a wise idea, Nick." I jumped at the sound of Rosalyn's voice. I didn't even hear her.

"What the hell are you doing in my room?"

"Cleaning. What does it look like I'm doing? I can't say the same about you, you act like you've never picked up after yourself in your life." She said with mild irritation.

"Well excuse me, Cinderella, but I have more important things to do besides cleaning something that will just get dirty again."

"Watch it, Ugly Step Sister, or my glass slipper will get stuck so far up your ass that I'll just have to claim it went missing. You'll have to get it surgically removed."

"Go hop in your carriage and go to hell."

She flipped me off as she turned to walk out the door, laughing. "Nice one, you ain't that bad, Nick. I'll see you later for round two."

She stopped in the doorway. "What were you talking about? What "sick fuck"?"

"It's...uh, nothing. Don't worry about it." "She didn't seemed convinced, but she didn't push the matter further.

She turned back and walked down the hall. And like that, she was gone.

She wasn't that bad to look at. And she was funny.

The uniform was somewhat tight-fitting so it left a little to the imagination. I wonder what the uniform would look like sliding off of her. What it would look like if she was sliding in to the bed slowly. Her warm, tan skin under mine. Her hair a mess on the pillow. Muffling her screams in my shoulder.

Wait... hold the fuck up.

She's my friend. Not some whore that lives for spreading her legs.

She's a person with feelings. A human being that doesn't deserve to be thought of like that.

"Jesus fuck, I'm horrible."

There was an obvious bulge under the covers. It just made me feel even worse.

"I'm disgusting."

Is it possible to wish away a boner? Is there a special Dick Fairy that takes away hard-ons? That actually sounds horrifying, but I still need to get rid of it.

Should I just wait it out? As if on cue, I heard Mr. Ripley calling for me to come see.

"Shit, shit, shit."

I threw on some clothes that might conceal an obvious erection and ran down stairs.

"Ah, yes, Nick. I need you to run an errand for me" he said."Also, I do believe we should forget what happened last night."

"You're disgusting and if I could kill you, I wouldn't hesitate. Unfortunately, my contract states that I can't harm employers."

"I'm very well acquainted with the contents of your contract, and about that errand, I need you to make a simple delivery."

"Where to?" I hate him so much but I'll just have to wait to kill him after my contract switches hands.

"A client. Her names Bridget Sinclair. She's lives in the city. This is her address." He handed me a piece of paper with an address and apartment number on it and a small package wrapped in light brown paper.

"And here's twenty dollars. That should be plenty for bus fair and you could stop for a snack at a gas station if you want. Don't get kidnapped and make good choices, yada yada yada. All that shit you tell kids when they're leaving the house on their own."

I went to open the door as he was walking into the kitchen when he stopped.

"You might want to hide that raging morning wood before you get on the bus. Tends to make people uncomfortable." He winked as my face turned beet red and he retreated for a late breakfast. I slammed the door and kicked the nearest thing, which unfortunately for me, was a half opened bag of fertilizer.

"God dammit!" I shouted. I have to get on the bus with a boner as obvious as the Washington Monument and I smell like dog shit. _Today's great._

I shook off any remaining fertilizer and walked to the bus stop two blocks down. I sat at the bench and tried to think away the boner.

An old woman with a walking cane slowly limped towards me. Lovely. She sat down next to me and stared at me without blinking.

"May I help you, ma'am?" I said as politely as I could.

"A handsome young man like you must get all the ladies, huh?"

"Uh, not really. At least not yet." I was trying to joke around to ease the awkwardness in my tone.

"A young man such as yourself wouldn't be interested in an old woman like me." She smiled a sweet smile.

I choked on a cough. "What?"

"You heard me boy, you wouldn't want me. Or would you?" Her hand was now on my knee.

"Ma'am, please don't touch me and please don't talk to me like that. I'm 16."

"Age is just a number and I know what's going on in your pants is because of me." Her hand was sliding up my leg. "How about we go somewhere more private."

I jumped off the bench and the woman yelped in surprise. "I'm not fucking going anywhere with you. Leave me the hell alone."

I turned the corner and looked at the address on the paper to determine if I could get there some other way and sighed."Fuck it, I'm walking." I headed towards the nearest main road and jogged for several miles.

Never had I been so thankful for my endurance training. The city wasn't that far away. Just about 30 minutes walking distance. I could do this. I really only had to worry about cars. They didn't seem to really notice me and I would be damned if I died with the remnants of a dying boner. The city limits was just coming into sights when I tripped on an uneven patch in the road and landed in the perfect spot to get hit by a car.

"Shit!" I screamed as I was scrambling to my feet with the package fumbling in my hands narrowly missing a honking car. That bitch wasn't going to stop? I hate this fucking place so much. The rest of the journey to the apartment was rather uneventful. I walked up to the door and before I could knock, the door swung open, revealing a tall, blonde woman.

"Are you here to deliver the package?" she said nervously.

"Uh, are you Bridget Sinclear?"

"It's "Sinclair"." She said with emphasis on the end.

"My apologies. Here's your package, Mrs. Sinclair."

"What a well-mannered boy. Thank you. Here's a delivery tip. Don't tell Ripley I gave this to you." She handed me a ten dollar bill.

"Thank you very much. That's very nice of you." I didn't know what else to say. She was a very nice woman.

"Don't thank me, young man. You look like you've been to hell and back today. It's the least I could do."

"You have no idea." "Why don't you tell me about it, come in. I've made lunch."

"That's a tempting offer, and I appreciate it, but I have to get beak to Mr. Ripley."

"Oh, all right. How about you take something to eat on the way home? I've made too many sandwiches for just me and my son. Why don't you take one?"

"Thank you. You're very generous." I said as she handed me a sandwich from the table.

"You're very welcome. Be safe on your way home, alright?"

"Yes, ma'am. And thanks again for the tip and food."

"Not a problem, bye."

"Bye, Mrs. Sinclair."

I finished the sandwich before I even left the building and stuffed the tip in my pocket with the rest of the money and headed to a gas station for a drink. I bought a Nuka-Cola and a Fancy Lad snack cake. I waited at the bus stop and after several minutes to myself, the bus arrived and I handed the driver my fair and took a seat in the back. I ate he snack cake and watched the city fly by in the window. My stop came and I got off the bus and threw the snack wrapper away. I walked in the door and Mr. Ripley was already in the main room.

"Took you long enough, Joel's waiting in the courtyard. I need you two to learn how to do basic yard work. My gardener had a family emergency."

"Too long of a story to tell you anyway." I handed him the remainder of the money he gave me.

"Go plant some daisies, flower boy."

"I'll make sure to shit on them to ensure a happy harvest." I said with grin. "Smart ass."


	4. Getting Out

Chapter 4: Getting Out

_August 8, 2072_

The weeks went by and I noticed Mr. Ripley getting more touchy feely with Joel. It was disgusting, but I couldn't do anything about it. Knowing that there was nothing I could do made me feel like the biggest fuck up of an older brother. I'm supposed to protect him. Ripley makes sure to send me on a lot of deliveries to keep me away from home.

Today, after finishing another delivery, I decided to take a detour. I was going to the camp and I was going to see what the officers would have to say about Mr. Ripley and his relationship. I'm very certain that the contracts are pretty clear on that.

I saved my money from tips from Mrs. Bridget and other people who decided to pay me and I was going to use it as bus fair to the camp. I sat at the station, waiting for the bus to come around.

I took my seat when it arrived and around thirty minutes later, I was at the gates of my home. It looked the same. The only thing different was that there were a few new kids.

I opened the gates and walked solemnly to the office up front.

"Nick, it's good to see you." The receptionist was always a nice older woman. She used to sneak me snacks from the outside when I was younger. She was hard to understand with her thick Southern accent.

"Hey, good to see you too. I actually have to talk about my employer."

She looked over her glasses. "What about him? Has he violated the contract?"

"That's what I'm here to talk about. I don't know if he has.''

"What has he done that seems spotty?" She looked genuinely concerned.

"It's about Joel. Our employer has been getting real comfortable with him. Touching. Keeps trying to get him alone. He keeps sending me on deliveries to keep me home as little as possible."

"Oh my, he sounds like a Buggy." She always had weird names for things. I eventually got to the point where I actually knew what the hell she was talking about. It was like she had her own language.

"It sounds like it should be against the rules of the contract, but I honestly have no clue."

"Honey, it is. It's disgusting what he's doing and you and Joel need to get the heck out of there. I'll get an officer to go home with you and they can get you out."

I stood in silence. I don't even know what happens when an employer violates the contract.

"What'll happen to us then?"

"You'll be put in the next auction. Maybe in your time with Ripley, someone saw you and is willing to buy out your contract."

I really had no idea what will happen when I get home with the officer.

"I'll get someone over here right away. Just let me call the main house."

I waited for her to finish the phone call and she reassured me the officer would be over in ten minutes and to just have patience.

It seemed like forever had passed for them to get here. I checked the clock for the umpteenth time before I heard the door open. A man in a business suit greeted me.

"Are you Nick?"

"Yes, sir."

"Follow me."

We walked outside to his car and he wasted no time to start it.

"I hate people like him. They're only children. Why do people do things like this?"

_Why do people sell minors to pedophiles?_

"I really don't know."

The trip home seemed even longer than the trip to camp. The world was passing in my window like there was never going to be everything wrong with it. Grass was starting to drown in leaves as the trees changed color.

We arrived and the car door shut with a loud "_thunk". _I followed him to the door and waited behind him as he knocked and waited for a reply.

Rosalyn opened the door. Shit.

"Nick, who's he and what's he doing here?"

"He's an officer in the camp we're from. He's here to take us away."

Rosalyn furrowed her brow. "Bu... Why? What did Ripley do?"

The officer quickly spoke up. "He violated the contract and as punishment, Nick's contract is now void from his employment. He may do as he pleases before they go back to the camp." He walked past her and into the house.

"You're leaving?" Her voice was cracking.

"I have to protect my little brother. I should have done something sooner. I can't even imagine what's going through his mind."

"Did Ripley... do anything to Joel?"

"... Yeah. I stopped it before it got worse."

She looked at the floor for a moment, and when she looked up, tears were welling up.

"You're a good brother... Ya know that?"

"I could have done something sooner."

I was frozen in shock as she wrapped her arms around me in a tight embrace.

"You did your job, Nick. Stop blaming yourself for not doing it sooner. It could have been much worse for him."

The man came back with two sheets of rolled up paper and Joel was following several feet behind him.

"It's time to go, get your things."

I leaned into Rosalyn's ear. "I'm going to fucking kill him."

She squeezed my elbow. Not in attempt to stop me but more of an encouragement act.

I walked up the stairs to the second floor. I was going to keep my word. I told him I would kill him. I'm not a liar.

I grabbed what little had acquired over the time here. After I was done, I left my bag by my door and I passed Joel in his room. I knocked on Ripley's door.

I leaned in to hear a muffled "Come in."

I opened the door to see Ripley in his chair with a bottle of whiskey.

"I know what you're here to do. I knew it would come eventually."

His words were slurred from the liquor. I grabbed the mail opener on his desk and run my finger on the blade. It wasn't very sharp, I guess that was considered better.

I grabbed the back of his head and forced him to look me in the eyes. I'll at least give him credit for accepting death.

I stabbed him in the chest hard and fast. He didn't even scream, it was just a strangled groan. I made sure to get him in the lungs. He was drowning in his own blood. I stabbed him again, this time in the neck.

I turned around, rubbed the handle of the weapon clean with a napkin, and set it on his desk. I didn't even look back. I just killed somebody.

I grabbed my bag and met Joel in the car. Rosalyn leaned in the window and kissed me on the cheek.

"I'm gonna miss you, Ugly Step Sister."

"I'll miss you too, Cinderella."

We pulled out of the driveway and I watched Rosalyn fade into the distance as we drove away.

The ride back to camp was quiet. Joel didn't even look like he was blinking.

We got our old bunks back and that night, we both were in bed. Not sleeping, just staring at the ceiling.

Joel hadn't said anything since I saw him this morning until I heard him take a deep breath as if trying to say something.

"Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"...Thank you."


	5. Gunhan

I'm going to be introducing more characters starting now. The new character now will be named Gunhan(Goo-non).

* * *

><p>Chapter 5: Gunhan<p>

_August 10, 2072_

The ceiling was the same moldy wood. The walls were the same peeling red wallpaper. The floors were the same creaking beams. Nothing had changed and I don't know why I thought everything would.

The bunk bed protested when I moved to swing my legs over the side. I stood up and hit my head on Joel's top bunk.

"Oh fuck!"

Joel shot up, wide eyed. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." I paused to look at my hand. No blood meant I should be fine. "I just hit my head."

"Well, what are you up for so early?"

"I just need some air. A lot is going on lately."

I opened the door and a girl opened her eyes. "Who are you? I've never seen you before."

"Uh, I've been here much longer than you. I just got out of my contract with my employer."

"I have to ask you something." She sat up.

"Well, ask."

"What will happen to me? What will happen when I'm sold in the next auction?"

I closed the door and turned on the small lamp by her bed.

"I can tell you, but you won't like it. I don't want to scare. I'll just tell you what usually happens to girls. Not all of them, but most." This was going to kill me.

"I heard that I'm probably going to be sold as a maid."

"Whoever fucking told you that is a lying dumbass."

She pulled back in surprise from my sudden hostility.

"I'll tell you the cold, hard truth. I'm not going to sugar coat it for you. I'll tell you what to really expect. You'll probably get sold as a fucking sex slave. You'll probably get pregnant within months. Some girls even get locked in basements and they stay there because no one is there to report their "employer". And this piece of shit camp doesn't care enough to check in on who buys their kids. That's probably going to happen."

She stared at me with tears rolling down her face. "Why am I here?"

I opened my mouth to answer but my mouth just closed. "I... I really don't know. I don't know why any of us are here."

"What were you going to do before I woke up?"

"I was gonna go for a walk. Why?"

"Would you mind if I came with you? I need to find something to do while I let all this set in."

"Uh, sure. Come on." I held my hand out to help her off of her bunk.

"What a gentleman." She wiped at her face.

"I try."

The morning air was chilly and the sky was still a light gray-blue. After several minutes of walking around the large camp, we started talking.

"Sorry for being rude earlier. It just pissed me off that someone lied to you. It was wrong of them to lie to you, but it was wrong of me to say those things."

"I'll get over it. You told me what you said you would."

"What's your name anyway? I never asked."

"Gunhan. What's yours?"

"I'm Nick."

"So, Nick, what was it like with your employer?"

"Well, he made me his delivery boy. I made detours all the time so I got a look at the city a lot."

"What's the city like?"

"Boston? It's pretty big. A lot of creeps though."

"What kind of creeps?"

"Uh, one time I was waiting for the bus. I had just woken up a few minutes before. So you know what goes on with guys after they wake up. And this old lady walks by and starts hitting on me. I just thought she was being nice."

"She sounds horrifying."

"It gets worse. She thought that what was going on down, you know" I pointed at my crotch, "was because of her and she puts her hand on my knee and rubbing my leg and asks if I want to go somewhere more private."

"Oh my gosh." She covered her mouth when she laughed.

"I hauled ass and walked to the city."

"You walked to the city? How?"

"I ran actually, I took the freeway. I almost got hit by a car. That bitch wasn't going to stop."

"You're lucky. I can't believe that."

"Believe it or not. It happened."

"So, why did you come back, if you don't mind me asking?"

"My employer violated the contract with my brother."

"You don't have to tell me the details. I shouldn't have asked."

"It's fine. I killed him and now we have to be sold again. I'm worried where he'll go. I doubt we'd be lucky enough to be bought together a second time."

"I pray that you both go to good people."

"Same."

It was getting bright out now and the kitchen was coming into sight.

"Do you want to get something to eat? Kitchen should be open now."

"I'm really hungry. Sure."

"Alright. Let's go."

Breakfast was the same shitty grits they always served for weeks on end. Sometimes, they salted it and added some butter.

"Something I don't miss from this place."

"I think they're better than the MREs I had to eat for years."

I looked up from my grits. _What was she talking about?_

"Where were you before here?"

"I lived in Turkey. China invaded it years ago for resources. My family is dead. I lived in a shack made of blankets and concrete rubble. The officers found me and pretty much shipped me to the states with a bunch of other kids."

"What is it like living in war?"

"My family died when I was twelve. Do you know what happens to young girls when they're homeless. I'll give you a hint: it involved computers and old men."

"I'm so sorry. You can leave that behind now."

"It depends on who buys me." She gave me a sad smile. "I'm not very hungry anymore."

"We can leave now."

"I would like that."


	6. Purple

Just gonna warn you that this chapter is basically the scenes leading up to a sex scene. Nothing really important to remember besides a tattoo that Gunhan gives Charon/Nick.

* * *

><p>The days seemed to fly by with Gunhan with me. She seemed so full of life and nothing around her actually affected her negatively. She radiated positivity. She always smiled and held her head up high. I can only describe her as a happy ball of sunshine and bright as fuck rainbows. She even hid stickers under her mattress.<p>

"Nick, do you want this?" She handed me a temporary tattoo.

"What is it?"

"It's Charon from Greek mythology."

"Who?"

"He was the ferryman who brought people across the river Styx to Underworld from the land of the living. You should read it some time." She handed me a heavy book that was titled "The Complete Works of Greek Mythology."

"I'll read it when I get the chance. How do you put on temporary tattoos?"

"I'll show you." She walked over to the sink and came back with a wet rag. She peeled the film off the paper.

"Where do you want the tattoo?"

"On my back so I can cover it when I need to." I lifted my shirt up.

She pressed the paper to my skin and I felt something cold touch me. It was gone in less than five seconds. She peeled off the paper slowly and dabbed at it gently.

"There you go. Look in the mirror."

I stood up and turned around to look over my shoulder. It was about the size of my fist. It was Charon on a boat in green water. It didn't look bad.

"Thanks, I feel cooler already."

"You really mean it?"

"Yeah, I might get it permanent if I can."

She laughed and fell onto the bed. Her dress pooled around her knees. Something about the image was very arousing. She was really pre... _Oh fuck no. __**Not again.**_

I managed to suppress the boner before it revealed itself like a rabbit in a magician's hat.

"Are you okay? Your face is all red."

"I'm fine. I think I'm just getting sick."

"I hope you feel better before the auction tomorrow."

"I don't. No one wants a sick servant."

"Don't be like that. Do you really want to be cooped up in this place for the rest of your life?"

"Yes. I don't have to deal with the employers getting touchy feely with me. They tend to go for guys with asses as nice as mine."

"Oh my gosh." She snorted.

"I see you looking, Gunhan." I laughed lightly. I could flirt, I just couldn't go anywhere with it.

Her eyes widened as she barked out a laugh.

I wanted to enjoy my time before we were sold tomorrow. I lied down on the bed with my hands on my stomach, I stared at the ceiling.

Gunhan rolled on her side and nuzzled her way into my neck. To my surprise, she rested her arm across my chest.

"You don't want to do this, Gunhan."

"I do. This is the last time I can actually be sort of free for the rest of my life. I want to spend it how I want."

"I'm not really sick."

She kissed my jaw. "I know."

I turned my face to her. I never noticed how long her eyelashes were. I kissed her back.

She rolled over to straddle my hips. Her hands were on my chest. She sat up straight and looked at me with lust. "Are we gonna do this? We don't have to if you don't want to. We can end it whenever you want."

"God yes. I'm very sure." My hands slid up her thigh and under her dress to rest on her hip.

She leaned forward to press her lips to mine. _When the fuck did this start?_

I slid my hand under the him of her underwear. My other hand was on her lower back pulling her closer. She gasped when I slid a finger in. She was getting really into it.

She sat up to pull her dress off over her head. Her bra was a plain purple. They matched her underwear so she must have planned on this happening. I pulled myself out of her to unbutton my pants. She made herself busy with almost ripping off my shirt. She was ready as fuck.

She leaned in to kiss my jaw down to my neck. A hand went up to her chest and the other under her thigh. Her hand trailed down to my boxers. She slid her hand in and I sucked in short breaths between kisses.

Her hand slid back as I pulled down the hem of her underwear. She eased down on to me. I sat up to kiss her throat. She moaned and gasped as she ground into my hips. She was pretty much completely in control. I never had any control from the start.

Her bouncing and grinding was creating some exceptional friction. She seemed like she knew what she was doing. My mind went blank quickly after that due to the inability to actually think. She suppressed a scream into my shoulder. I rolled her onto the bed and got in control. My turn. She didn't last long for the second ride. I buried my face into the pillow and pulled out. I wasn't about to do something really stupid like finish in her. Instead, the sheets would have to do.

I rolled over as we both tried to catch our breath.

"Thanks."

"I'm stupid, but I'm not careless."

"I know. We should go get dinner. It's about that time."

"Alright. Where are my pants?"

She pointed over to the other bed.

I got up and dressed as she stayed where she was.

"Something wrong?"

"I don't want tomorrow to come."

"Me neither. We just have to take what's coming though."

She looked away. "Yeah."

"Hey, come on. Let's go eat dinner. They serve cake the night before the auctions."

"Alright." She got dressed slowly.

Once we were both presentable, I held the door for her.

"Thanks." She muttered.

Dinner wasn't that great but it was for the camps standards.

Gunhan was very quiet. Too quiet to be "just nothing". I walked her to her cabin and made sure she was inside before I left.

I laid in bed wide awake.

I saw Joel's head peek over the edge of his bunk. "I'm scared."

"Me too."


	7. Death at an Auction

I'm just going to warn you for right now, this chapter will be pretty dark. If suicide is something you don't want to read about, just skip to the next horizontal line.

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><p>I didn't sleep that night at all. I only stayed in an aware- frozen state. I stood up from my bed and got dressed in the auction uniform. Joel argued with me about wearing it, but with a little convincing, he put it on eventually.<p>

"I'm going to the bathroom."

"Alright."

I stepped out of the cabin and made a b-line for the public restroom. I opened the rusted door and stopped in my tracks.

Gunhan was in the tub. She was up to her chest in bloody water. I ran to the edge of the sink and pulled her out. I could faintly see a kitchen knife at the bottom of the tub shift from being disturbed. She must have taken it after dinner. That meant she left her cabin after I had gone back to mine.

_Oh my god! What have I done?_

I laid her on the floor. I pulled my shirt off and draped it over her. She deserved at least some dignity.

I grabbed her face. "Gunhan, wake up!"

Her head lolled to the side. Her skin was so cold and her lips were a light shade of purple.

Joel rushed into the bathroom, stopped, and backed out to the door. "Oh god. I'll get an officer."

I pulled her into my lap and held her tightly. I choked on a cry. "Wake up!"

It didn't take long for a small crowd to form in the door. They all whispered amongst the others.

"Get out!" They didn't move.

"Get the fuck out!" I grabbed the knife from the tub and threw it at the wall near the door. They got the picture and scrambled away.

An officer stepped into the room and stared at the knife embedded in the wall.

"Go **away**." I pulled her closer to me.

She grabbed her walkie talkie. "We got another one in the bathroom. Cut her wrist." She looked at the weapon, "knife from the kitchen."

"Not again. We need to start keeping a closer eye on these kids. We can't have them offing themselves every few weeks in our jurisdiction. We can't afford another lawsuit." Her walkie talkie beeped.

"Hey, kid. I need you to step away from the bod-."

"Gunhan!" I yelled.

"-Gunhan," she corrected. "I need to step away from her. There's nothing you can do for her now." She stepped closer to me.

I pulled her closer and away from the woman.

"I know what you're going through. My girlfriend did the same thing."

I shifted away from her on the floor.

"We fought a lot. I really regret the last one. I know I wasn't great to her, but I didn't think I was so bad that she'd kill herself." She sat down near the stall across from me and leaned her head on the stall door.

"I didn't think anything was wrong." I whispered.

"You never really do."

"What's this?" I saw a piece of paper under the edge of the tub. I picked it up.

"Looks like she left a note."

"_Dear Nick, I wanted it this way." _I let out a sigh. _"I wasn't about to go back to what they were making me do when I was younger. I couldn't go back to that. I needed to do this. I'll make sure you and Joel get employed by good people."_

* * *

><p>"She didn't want what was going to happen."<p>

I folded the note back up and shoved it in my pocket. I pulled her closer to me and buried my face into her cold neck. The officer scooted over to me and held me to her. I cried into her chest and she started to sniffle into my hair.

"She could have left."

"She did."

Two men wheeled in a stretcher, another man following behind them with a notepad.

"We need you to back away, kid. We need her on this stretcher so she can get a respectable going away."

I pulled her away to look at her face. She looked like she was sleeping. I stood up and laid her down on the stretcher.

They lifted the sheet over her and gave me a fresh shirt. They wheeled her off. I stared at the knife in the the door frame, still dripping with water. I walked out of the room and out into the fresh air. The crowd from before had reformed around me. They stared with wide eyes.

"Fuck yourselves." I walked through them as the made a path. I walked to the stage where the bidders were already situated.

"The auction doesn't start for another thirty minutes." The auctioneer stated matter-of-factly.

"It starts now."

"Who do you think you are, kid?" He looked ready to hit me.

"I'm the guy telling you that you can do your fucking job a few minutes early. It's not that fucking hard to call out a price."

"Well, then get your ass on the platform, you shithead."

"Gladly, you arrogant, self-entitled, piece of shit." I stepped up to the front of the stage as the crowd stared at me.

"Starting bid is three dollars."

I glared at him. "Starting bid is three hundred. Nick McKinnley. Seventeen. Six feet and three inches. Two hundred pounds."

"Three hundred!" A man in the back shouted.

"Three fifty!" A man to the left.

"Four hundred!" A woman to the back.

Numbers were being called off so fast, I couldn't keep up. I looked over to the auctioneer who was fuming.

"Seven... hundred... dollars." An old man shouted from the front.

"Going once."

"Going twice."

"Sold to the Chinaman to the front." The auctioneer was sulking in the corner of the stage.

"I'm Korean, you asshole."

"Whatever. You get the kid."

I stepped down to meet up with him. He had a cane and a shoddy suit. He didn't look like he had seven hundred dollars.

"My name Yung. My daughter, Nari, she need help with chores and socializing, and sometimes schoolwork. She need help. She has friends you can play with. She even in band. She can show you how to play instrument."

The man spoke butchered English but seemed kind enough He even shook my hand. I liked him enough.

Joel was sold to an old woman. He said she just wanted a son again. Gunhan did what she said she would. I felt the note in my pocket.

* * *

><p>The auctions were now over and I was sitting like a duck in Yung's truck. My stuff was on my lap and I had details on Gunhan's funeral service in two days. I looked over to see Joel in his employer's car. I waved to him and he rolled down the window.<p>

"Hey, I see you got a new mom."

"I see you got a new father-in-aw."

"Funny, I want you to know before we leave that I'm sorry we weren't close when we were little. I want you to know I love you. This may be the last time we see each other. I'll write."

"Gay. I love you, too. Sorry for being such a brat all those years. You better write."

Mr. Yung started the truck.

"I'll miss you, asshole."

"Me too, limp dick." Joel whispered.

We flipped each other off for the last time and we drove our separate ways.

"Who was he in next car?"

"My little brother."


	8. Gas Station Conundrum

Chapter 8: Gas Station Conundrum

Mr. Yung had turned the radio on and a man named "The King" had started playing. He turned up the radio.

"You like Elvis?"

"Who?" I had started to fidget with a zipper on my bag.

"Elvis Presley. Nari say he okay. She more like the 'down with govement' music. She like the idea of anarchy. I don't know why, she lucky to be in America. North Korea is much worse off. She should be thankful. We wouldn't even have that kind of music she like, they would execute us publicly."

"What's she like?" I needed to find something to say before things got awkward.

"Who, Nari? Ah, she turn seventeen in February. You will like her. She very, uh, what the word I look for... spontaneous! She like to be different. Very pretty. You keep it in pants and away from her." He chuckled.

"What exactly do you need me to do? You couldn't have purchased my contract for the sole reason of helping your daughter with her homework."

"Well, that big reason but another reason is that I am sick. I won't be around much longer. Someone need to look after her. She try so hard to be strong but really, she still my little girl as always. She fragile and her friends don't know it, but she isn't like the other kids at school."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she one of those 'starving artist' types. Kids never understand her. The older she got and the worse the tension grow with China, people mistake her for Chinese and she need protecting. I ask you to protect my daughter and make sure she happy and okay. She need someone that will always be there."

I stared out of the window. He seemed so desperate to keep his daughter safe. "What are your plans for me?"

"I will enroll you in school so you get education like everyone else. You deserve it. She will need help with school, too. Plus, she don't talk about it with me, but I know she have bully. I really don't have plan for you beside school and protecting her. You don't need to worry about freedom. You can do whatever you want as long as it doesn't put her in danger. My daughter your first priority. She my everything. You can hopefully be your everything someday. You will like her. I promise. She very kind once you get to know her."

Mr. Yung really liked to talk about Nari. I really loved her. He seemed like a very affectionate father. A role model of some sorts.

"What are her friends like?"

He cleared his throat once before speaking. "They troublemaker group. They aren't bad kids, just like to stir up trouble. They all have criminal record I think. They aren't dangerous. They just get carried away with pranks and their shows get out of hand sometimes."

"I forgot you mentioned them in a band. What does she do?"

"She lead guitarist. Maybe she teach you a thing or two. Her friend Mathew, he the singer. Then there Jon, I think he drummer. The bassist, uh ... I never remember her name. She from Britain."

"They sound like they're pretty cool."

"The things they do are reckless, but I guess they cool if you aren't on the receiving end of one of their pranks." He laughed loudly. He continued, "they once flushed a cherry bomb in our toilet as Nari's 'initiation' or something. I wonder what they will make you do to get in."

I was silent for the next few minutes.

"Oh no, we need gas. I stop here and you go inside and get snack if you hungry." He pulled into a gas station slowly and stopped. I stepped out and noticed that I hadn't eaten today. I was too busy with Gunhan to eat. Thinking about her made my stomach turn.

"You go inside and get me a Hershey, please. You can get whatever. Just don't spend too much." He handed me a five dollar bill.

I walked inside of the gas station and a gust of warm air hit me with a nice welcome. The air outside was cold from the season changing. The lines of snacks were arranged neatly. I grabbed the candy bar for Mr. Yung and picked up a bag of potato chips I checked out and walked back out to see Mr. Yung being cornered by two men. I met up with them.

"Is there a problem here?"

"Stay out of this. This isn't your business, you damn mick."

One of them pushed me and continued to throw out slurs at Mr. Yung. I dropped the chips and candy bar.

"We said stay the hell out of it. This commie don't deserve saving."

I grabbed the taller man and slung my arm around his throat in a choke hold. He scratched at my arm and the other man pulled out a knife. This would be fun.

The man with the knife swung at me recklessly and I moved the man I was holding in front of me. They were too stupid. The man stabbed him and panicked. He pulled it out and swiped at me again. I grabbed him and twisted his arm around and pushed him against the car. He dropped the knife and I kicked it under the truck. I kicked him behind the knee and he fell to the ground. I pushed my knee into his back as I grabbed his arms and jerked them up behind him with an audible "crack". He screamed and the man bleeding ran at me blindly. I ducked and grabbed him by the waist as he flung himself on me. I threw his legs over my head. He hit the ground and Mr. Yung started the truck. I jumped in the passenger seat.

"Holy shit. You kick their asses. Where the snacks?" He pulled out of the parking spot.

"I dropped them." He slammed on the brakes and my bag hit the floor.

"You what? Go get them! Money don't grow on tree!"

I gave him an incredulous look. He motioned for me to hurry up and I jumped out of the truck and ran back to the food. I swiped them up and turned to run. The man with the knife wound grabbed my ankle. I kicked him in the head and he let go. I ran back to the truck and slammed the door shut.

"Oh, you got the Hershey almonds."

I sighed dramatically, "you could have specified."

"Well, you know next time to get the one without any nuts. I'm allergic."

"Fine."

"Annayise!"

"What?"

"That's the bassist name."


	9. Nari Nari

Chapter 9: Nari Nari

The truck sputtered down a street in the middle of Boston. It didn't seem like the nicest neighborhood to be in, but they seemed friendly enough. Mr. Yung pulled into the driveway of a small house. I grabbed my bag of the ground. I slammed the door shut and walked up to the porch with my bag in one hand and the chips and candy bar in the other.

He opened the door and an inviting burst of hot air gushed out of the house. The lights were on and gave everything an inviting look. There was bright colored furniture and paintings everywhere.

"It's very colorful." I muttered.

"Nari like a lot of color. She very colorful person. Hate gray and brown and other neutral color. She just like her mother. Always looking to stand out and make something of herself." Mr. Yung replied happily.

"I can tell." I wasn't even lying. There was nothing in the house that wasn't brightly colored. It was like someone took a rainbow maker and turned it on overdrive and it exploded.

I noticed etch mark on the door frame to the kitchen. They must be measurements. They stopped right under six feet. Nari must be pretty tall.

"Nari! We home!" Mr. Yung bellowed. He was small but very loud when he wanted to be.

"Coming Papa! Do you want hot chocolate?" A tall girl practically ran into the room after about three seconds of her reply. She was dresed in lounge pants and a tank top. This family was very loud.

"Ah, Nari. This Nick. Nick, this the girl you protect, Nari. And no thank you, give some to Nick." The girl blushed as her father mentioned my orders to her.

"Hi there, Nick." She shot her hand out towards me and grabbed my wrist, pulling me into the kitchen.

"Remember your own strength, Nari!"

The kitchen was small and covered in a child's drawings. I heard the refrigerator close and the cabinet open quickly after. The girl was almost a blur as she rushed around the kitchen opening and closing cabinets and drawers. The room was filled with banging and crashing of silverware. She didn't stop until she slammed the microwave and hit the timer.

"You want some hot chocolate? I know it's cold outside. Sit down if you want wherever."

I took a seat at the small table that had three lawn chairs clustered around it. Nari opened the fridge to get a carton of milk and placed it on the counter. The microwave beeped and she was pulling a steaming mug out in seconds. She poured the milk and popped in two big marshmallows.

"Here ya go. Hot and ready like a porn star." She giggled as she handed me the hot mug and a spoon.

"Thanks?"

"Don't thank me. You're a part of this family now. Get used to the jokes and the yelling." She giggled again.

Whoever this Nari girl was, she had a very bubbly personality. I would gladly fulfill my duties of protecting her.

I pressed the mug to my lips and tilted the end up. The hot drink spilled out and onto my shirt. I managed to burn my tongue on it, too. It was all over.

"Oh shit!" I covered my mouth and immediately regretted swearing. My tongue burned like fire. Fucking thanks, hot chocolate.

"Oh fuck. I'm sorry. I should have warned you it was hot." She yanked out a rag from a drawer and held it under running water.

She handed me the rag. I dabbed at my face and shirt. There was hot chocolate fucking everywhere. Nari held her hand to her forehead in exasperation. She ran her hand through her hair. Both hand were in her hair. She looked like she belonged in a nuthouse.

"I'm so sorry. This is a very shitty welcome." She looked like she was about to cry.

"It's okay. I'll live. Just a small burn."

"No. It's not okay. This is all my fault." She whimpered.

This girl, she had emotions all over the place. One second, she's super fucking happy, the next moment, she's a mess.

"I said it's okay. Where's the paper towels so I can clean up?"

"We don't have any right now. And you aren't cleaning shit."

"I'm cleaning it because I made the mess. You made me hot chocolate. That's the nicest thing someone's done for me in weeks."

She sighed dramatically. "Fine. I'll get a towel." She left the kitchen and took a hallway to the left. I heard a loud crash and a muffled "shit."

I ran down the hall to see a pissed off cat and Nari on the floor holding her knee.

"What happened?" I asked as I helped her up.

"I tripped on Fatass," she hissed out as she hugged her knee.

"You named your cat 'Fatass'?

"His full name is 'Fatass McGee' but that's too long to say. I only call him 'McGee' around Papa. He thinks that's his name but he would be mad if he found out his real name. What he doesn't know won't hurt him." She tried to stand up straight but opted to standing on my leg. "The other cat is somewhere. Her name's 'Funny Face'."

"You get creative with names, huh?"

"You should what I named my stuffed animals when I was little." She snickered, I can assume, at the thought of the names.

"Where should I put my things down? This bag is getting heavy."

"I'll show you to your room. I'll warn you, it's not a big house, so the rooms are pretty small."

She led me down another short hallway with a door at the end. She opened it to reveal a small room with a twin sized bed and a little side table with a lamp on it.

"Like I said, it's not big. I hate that it's not decorated. I'll figure out what kind of music you like and we can eventually wallpaper your room with band posters." She turned to look at me up and down. "You look like a rocker in the making."

I dropped my bags down and stared at the blank walls. I can't even imagine what Nari's room looks like. It's probably covered in bright paintings and pictures of friends and band posters and inspirational cat banners. She seemed like that kind of person.

"I need to go to a funeral in two days. Do you think I could go?"

"What do you think we are? We aren't monsters that keep you from a funeral. Who were they?" She leaned on the door frame for support.

I crinkled the note in my pocket. Feeling it gave a sort of comfort. "Her name was Gunhan."

"She sounds pretty. How old was she?"

I let go of the note. "She was gorgeous. She was only seventeen."

She was still for a second. "Oh bummer, man. Yeah, you can go. Was she your friend?"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore." I snapped at her.

She drew back in shock. "Okay, you can go. I just need to know where it's being held."

"It's in Roxbury."

"Alright. I'll leave you alone now." She turned around and limped back down the hall.

* * *

><p>I fell back on the bed, staring at the ceiling and crinkling the note in my pocket. Today was way too long for my liking. I didn't even care about cleaning the hot chocolate. She wanted to clean it so badly. Then again, she was also hurt from Fatass.<p>

_Shit. I already fucked up my orders._

I stood up from the bed and looked for Nari. She was on the floor again but she was just staring at the ceiling with her arms and legs straight out. She took notice of me staring.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm trying to straighten my back." She stated it so plainly like it was obvious I should know why she was on the floor like a maniac.

"You're very strange." It wasn't said as an insult. Just a statement.

"You would be surprised at how any times I've been told that." She started to wave her arms and legs around like a snow angel.

I stared at the grooves she was making in the carpet from her carpet angel. "I don't think I would."

She made a really bitchy face, "funny."

"You're going to fuck the carpet up." I held out my hand to pick her up.

"I've been doing it since I was little." She pointed to various carpet angels around the floor that I hadn't taken notice of until now.

"I also saw the door frame. Hard to believe you were small at one point."

"You're one to talk, Iron Giant." She moved around like a robot. She was very energetic. I'll give her that much.

"I forgot to mention, I have a candy bar. I don't like almonds though. You want it?"

"Sure. I'll eat it after dinner. We're having soup."

"What kind?"

"Tofu in pork broth and noodles."

"Oh, I don't think I've had tofu."

"It's fucking disgusting."


	10. Seperation Anxiety

Chapter 10: Seperation Anxiety

I could hear Nari's alarm go off in the next room loudly. A tired groan and a crash followed. I jumped out of my bed and out of my room without hesitation. I threw her door open and flicked the light on to find Nari on the floor in a heap of blankets and a mess of long black hair.

"Are you okay?" I offered her a hand but she was too busy shielding her eyes from the lights.

"Mm fine." She grumbled.

I picked her up off the floor and laid her down on the bed.

"Don't put me back in bed unless you want me to go to sleep."

"You need adequate sleep for your health."

"Have you ever heard of 'school'? There is no such thing as 'adequate sleep'." She sat up and rubbed at her eyes roughly.

"I was informed that I was to keep you safe at all times. You not getting sleep is dangerous in the long run."

"Okay, _Dad._" She stood up shakily and rummaged through her drawers.

"What am I supposed to do while you are at school. I can't keep you safe if I'm here and you're there."

"You're going to school, duh. We both have to suffer." She pulled out a ripped dress and shrugged before pulling off her tank top.

My face heated up and I swung around. "I could use some warning next time."

"Oh shit. I have skin. Oooo!" She mocked.

"That's not funny."

"It is to me. You can turn around now."

I turned around to find her in the shredded, red dress and black ripped tights. She was in the process of pulling on beat up combat boots.

"How are your clothes still in one piece?"

"I like it like this though." She looked down at her outfit with confusion.

"It's cold outside. It's November."

"And I need to scream 'punk'."

"What even is that?"

"You'll find out when my friends come over after school for practice." She smiled mischievously.

"You're father said he was enrolling me in school. I'm not sure how I feel about that." I rubbed my arm subconsciously.

"Well, a lot of kids complain about it,but I'm glad we have it. Not everyone does. You'll do fine." She picked up an old hair brush and worked on untangling her rat nest of a head.

"What's it like?"

She glanced over from the mirror with a confused look. "You've never been to school?"

I went to training camp. Not school. "You can say that."

"It can be okay. I like learning. It's just the people there are pretty shitty."

Looking back on my orders, I remembered Mr. Yung had said Nari had assholes that picked on her, but she wouldn't tell him about it. "I heard about bullies."

She turned back to the mirror to avoid my statement. "Yeah, I don't have them. I'm too cool for school." She picked at her hair. "Or bullies."

"What do you want for breakfast?" I asked in an attempt to change the subject.

She frowned into her mirror. "I'm not hungry but I can find something for you though. What do you want, Nick?"

"You need to eat."

"I'm fine. I said I wasn't hungry. I'll just eat lunch" She said as she smeared eyeliner on her eyes.

"Do you do that often?" If she didn't normally eat breakfast, what is stopping her from eating lunch or dinner?

"Usually, I don't have time to eat _and_ get ready so I just choose to get ready." She yelped when she stabbed herself in the eye.

"Why don't you just wake up sooner?" Where was her logic?

"Do you see how early I already wake up? I'm not wasting anymore time I could use to sleep."

She carefully applied subtle lipstick and slung her book bag over her shoulder.

"You should go back to bed, Nick. I have to catch the bus."

"I need to come with you to make sure you get on the bus safely."

"Are you some kind of body guard my dad hired?" She grinned.

"He didn't tell you?" My orders were no laughing matter.

She eyed me sideways with concern. "What didn't he tell me?"

I straightened out as much as I could and my face grew stern. Just the way I was trained when reciting orders. "My orders were to protect you at all costs. I am Nick, your protector.

"Is this some kind of joke?" She didn't look amused.

"I can assure you this is no joke." My posture didn't relax.

"Where did you come from?" She whispered nervously.

"The ca-" I was cut off by the sound of a loud engine and a school bus outside.

"Oh shit! We will definitely be having a chat after school."

With that, she hurried out the door and onto the bus. I waited in the doorway and watched as the bus drove off. She turned to look at me from her seat in her foggy window. I waved and she gave a small wave back. A look of strong concern was the last I would see of her for the next few hours.

* * *

><p>I lay in my bed clutching my stomach in intense pain. Sweat pooled around me. Staying away from her meant I was going against orders. Going against orders meant going against programming. Going against programming meant excruciating pain.<p>

Only six more hours.

* * *

><p>I hugged the toilet as I lay on the ground. I had been throwing up for the past thirty minutes.<p>

Mr. Yung had left for work hours ago. I was home alone in agony. The floor tiles were no longer cool to the touch. My fever was rising again. At least they can't hear my bitching.

Only two hours to go.

I dragged my body across the carpet to the sofa. The material rubbed my skin raw. That was the least of my worries. I had spent the past eight hours vomiting and praying to whatever God that was allowing this to happen.

The front door opened and I heard Nari's voice travel through the house.

"Nick, where are you?"

"Sofa!" My words were slurred.

She rushed into the room and immediately dropped her things.

"Oh shit! Are you okay? What's wrong?" Her voice was panicked.

""I had to go against my orders." Seeing her almost entirely dissipated all my pain. She was safe with me.

"We really need to talk about that fucking bodyguard shit." She patted my forehead with a rag from the table.

I sat up on my elbows. "What would you like to talk about?"

She sat next to me on the couch. "Tell me everything. I want to know about you. Where you're from, who you are, why you're here, and anything else you need to tell me."

I cleared my throat and stood up from the couch. Anytime the contract is discussed, it is to be professionally.

"My name is Nick McKinnley. I am from Project Flag. I was trained as a soldier. I know how to attack, disarm, and kill anyone you would want me to. I am highly trained in ranged weapons but I am above average in knives. We are written into contracts. That is our lively hood. We are the contract. Whoever holds the contract is in complete control of me. I have been given orders to protect you at all costs. Failure to follow through with my orders leads to excruciating pains as punishment. I am, for lack of a better word, a slave. A soldier."

Nari's jaw hung down in shock. "I can't own a human being. What has my dad done?"

"Would you like for me to recite the rules of the contract?"

She held her head in both hands and mumbled under her breath. She shook her head after a moment.

"Are you certain?"

"We can go over it later. This is too much." She hugged herself tightly.

"Have I upset you?" She was definitely upset.

"No. I just can't believe that my dad lied to me. He said he was going to foster a kid. Not buy a slave."

My brow furrowed. "You can just call me 'Nick', you know. Nothing has really changed. I just need to make sure you don't leave me again. I need to go to school with you from now on."

She nodded. "I'll do it today. Shit, we can do it right now if you want."

"I would like that. Before we do, do you want something to eat?" She could lie to me about having eaten lunch.

"I'm fine. I don't feel hungry."

"That wasn't really a question. You will eat." I crossed my arms. I am to keep her safe. Health is a major part of that.

She glared at me from under her hair. "I said I wasn't hungry."

"And my orders are to keep you safe and healthy. You will eat. What do you want?"

She sighed dramatically, "I'll make something for us."

"I said I would do it."

"You just need to protect me, not treat me like a princess."

"I would have to do that if you command it."

She raised a brow. "Really?"

"Yes, really."

"I command you to let me take care of you while you take care of me." She grinned smugly.

I stared at her in confusion. "I shall. But why do you want to do that?"

"Because we're family from now on."


End file.
